Golden Hour
by Sunpops1
Summary: Looking back maybe if I had fainted the first time kuruma talked to me I wouldn't be in this mess dealing with talking animals like duck ass wolves and pink birds I thought were my friend or a crazy guy who looks like a snake. Although I think the real killer was letting Kuruma stay with me for 7 years. Sasunaru
1. Meeting The Fox

Disclaimer: nothing belongs to me the characters belong to Kishimoto

The grass was spread like a plush green blanket stretched over hills extending farther that the horizon, along it were the intricately woven spots of color and nose filling sweet smell, flowers. Sometimes you may see pink and peach with hints of yellow and red but sometimes you could see the deep and light violets with white mixed in. With the occasional line of blue and various greens it made for quite a marvelous sight.

Sometimes he wondered what giants felt like, because they could sit upon the glorious quilt he calls home. They could feel the wonderful silk of water and cotton of grass, to them all he would be was the size of the ant to them, he wondered if they spoke would it really be as loud and booming as an ocean or were their smiles just as bright as the sun like all stories had told.

It was a strange thought, because at eight years of age he was quite big, enough to reach the top of the blacksmith's counter at the stand at least. Yes he was quite tall and mature too his mother had even started to allow him to touch the knife when baking. Which was quite an accomplishment seeing as she wouldn't even let him in the kitchen just a mere year ago.

He had all this running through his head while relaxing under the only tree at least in his knowledge in the vast expanse of prairie land its grand limbs stretching out and towards the sky in arches towering over him shading him from the oven of earth and heat of sun which burned his bare feet when he went out of the protection of the tree. Whenever he sat here he was reminded of when his mother the beautiful and graceful woman she was would give him the hat she wore when he was hot, and say to him "oh my little fishcake sweetheart you must remember your hat if you're so forgetful who would want to marry you when you grow up." Yes like his mother the tree would shade and protect him.

The tree towered over everything housing animals of every kind from woodpeckers to raccoons. It grew alone as if it took a rest while on a grand hike across the land the other trees had forgotten about it and moved on and he had decided to stay here digging it's big bulky roots into the ground, maybe liking the scenery, or something of the sort.

He wondered what all had the tree seen in it's so many years of living, had it seen a war no one else had or maybe it had seen a fairy dancing through the tall grass illuminated by moonlight, or had it seen a which turning man into frog with an flick of the wrist and evil spell, only the tree would know.

As the smell of baking raspberries assaulted his senses with the sweet roses and wildflowers he was broken from his train of thought. Looking up to the sky sun blinded him and burned his irises, but what was worse is that the sun was in the middle of the sky, which meant it was it was noon, He had promised to be home by eleven. He was an hour late

Jumping up He grabbed his basket, heaving it up He knew that he couldn't allow the berries inside to rot, for the berries were going to make pies. Running through the tall grasses he stained his trousers and wrinkled shirt more than they already were but he didn't really mind because the clothes he wore were already riddled with stains He had them for more than a year now after all.

It's white and blue checkers had started to fade from the constant contact with sunlight and stains dotted it everywhere grass and food alike. But he still didn't want to part with it his mom said it had started to get to short and they would go into town for new fabric in four days. But still he didn't want to part with it. He had it for so long and he didn't view them as stains but more...memories

He slid down another hill the grass being tall and wet from dew and an earlier storm made it slick and easy to go through while being tall made some resistance and kept his balance ultimately keeping him from falling over and face planting down on the baked earth.

Almost out of breath from running he finally arrived at his house, small thing it was buried in the dirt its walls and ceiling made out of the same material seeing as it was built in a hill it was only natural. But while it may be small he preferred quaint and homey as words to describe it more so than small even petite sounds better than just saying small.

"I'm back, sorry I was out later than I should have been okaa-san." he said as he opened the wooden door which hinges would always let out a squeak and whine almost as if complaining about old age and being opened so much. The aforementioned woman rushed into the room hair flowing behind her in red waves, her purple grey eyes shone with worry and he felt a lecture coming on.

"Naruto Uzumaki! Where were you, were you just going to leave your mom to worry!" I was just about to plow through the fields and pull up mountains to find you!" You know your father is coming back later from the fields and we need to get ready for him!" She had started her rant which only kept going his mom yelling so loud he was sure people even across the sea could hear her.

"I know mom, but I'm becoming a man I don't need you babying me anymore." His mom just sighed and shook her head, a small calming smile came to her lips, before she wrapped him in her arms " I know Naru-chan but can't you just my little baby forever. i don't want you to grow up it makes me feel old too ya'no"

He shook his head. "You want to get started on those pies now." Was the only thing he said and his mom brightened up "you know it fishcake and maybe they won't burn or taste weird this time." He handed his mom the basket and agreed "yeah _hopefully" _His mom was an amazing chef just had a hard time following written instructions not really able to focus long enough, which made most of her recipes have wonky and utterly, horribly, wrong ingredients.

He walked to the kitchen with his mother and basket in tow, giving his mother the basket he told her "I'll go get firewood for the stove mom." his mother replied "Be careful, don't hurt yourself."he replied with a simple "Don't worry I won't." Rushing out the door smiling the only thing he could think about was pie, blueberry, raspberry, strawberry, rhubarb, and even multi-berry.

He had always like sweet things, but who didn't. I mean sweet was a likable flavor be it sugar or chocolate he liked treats off all kinds cakes, cookies, and pies. Letting his mind wander he didn't see the red blob curled up on the ground till it was too late.

Tripping over something he was puzzled because what he had felt wasn't something hard cold or ragged like a rock, it was more of a plush comfy feeling on his foot. Catching himself from completely falling not without a few blunders and missteps of course he turned around and looked down.

… A fox that's what it was, and it was staring at him. It was a pretty you may even say beautiful creature, built with muscle it had red hair that somewhat reminded him of his mother's and red eyes that looked like they were burrowing into your soul and burning like fire white tipped ears and tail and the black socks it wore on it's feet made it somewhat strange.

The fox didn't make any movements just stared up at him with what could be a mix of caution, curiosity, and was that smugness. He bent down on his knees and slowly moved his hand towards the fox, closer, closer, closer and when it got to it's head he pressed down on it's head liking the feeling of the fluffy fur underneath.

Just as he was going to stroke back it happened, the unexplainable did,because it spoke, the fox spoke. "Hello I'm Kuruma." It was a simple innocent enough sentence it was who it was coming from that mattered and all I could do was gape, I was too surprised to even faint. Moving my hand back I felt myself fall back on my butt and scramble away. Before I was pressing into the earthen mound of wall that was my house and silently cursed it, here I was trying to get away from this... talking fox... Kuruma it was just blocking my way.

I honestly had never been able to deal with supernatural stuff it creeped me out to no end even though I was wondrous it fell into the category of _don't wander in to me._

Gulping I faced the thing that was currently my source of my shock surprise and fear. Gulping down I forced the question out of my mouth. "Are you going to eat me?" The fox seemed to raise his eyebrows if that was possible it was more like raised the fur over his eyes.

"I'm a talking fox and that's all you're going to ask me? Honestly you're a big idiot aren't you, I don't like dealing with idiots you know."

Naruto could have sworn his eye twitched after the idiot comment but just said with gritted teeth. "Well did you expect anything different you stuck up fox asshole bastard."

"Yes I was expecting something along the lines of-" His voice suddenly turned high in pitch sort of girly "_oh wow you're a talking fox that's so cool, and I love your name but could I call you kurama-ni from now on or maybe even kuruma-sama." _Was the fox making fun of him

"Like hell you self-conceited dick I'm never going to call you my brother or lord so fuck off." Ignoring the fact that this was a talking fox he had found himself starting a argument with him and actually talked to him like anyone else would to another, little did he know this little skirmish would start an unbreakable friendship and new life of what he'd always been secretly yearning for, _adventure._

* * *

Well it's my first story how'd I do? I know It's short but it' more of a preview than anything, the other chapters will be in his teens and only have his childhood reveiwed in flashbacks. Please leave an honest review but refrain from hate just... constructive criticism would be nice


	2. Meeting The Duck Ass

Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me all rights to characters go to Masashi Kishimoto all I own is the story plot.

"KURUMA!" It was a loud voice, ear deafening as the stone walls surrounding it echoed it back with more force than it was already let out with. The person who let it out was… wasn't really visible at the moment except for an orange blur running through the streets of town and jumping over carts.

But even so the villagers paid it no mind used to behavior from the orange blob or if you were to call him by his name, Naruto Kitsune Uzumaki, the troublemaker of Konoha. "Kuruma you ass-head self-conceited fox jerk, you get out right now!"

As he ran through the town his sandals hit the brick road beneath them as he pushed off it for acceleration only serving to make the noise bar along with the villagers headache bar higher. He currently was looking for said fox to castrate him along with a tortuous horrifying death because no-one and I repeat no-one calls the Naruto Awesomaki a dumb-ass and up and leaves.

His black pants sagged down his legs building up cloth around his ankle only being held up by a small rope he had found in an abandoned trap his orange his shirt as well as loosely latched coat were left to flutter in the wind behind him. Originally he had come to town to sell some of the things he'd baked or cooked, back at his mound of a home situated underground.

But after a conversation with the fox which he could say were getting somewhat more civil at least only one or two cusswords here he just out and said as they got into town "Naruto. You. Are. A. Dumb-ass." Jumped from his purse…satchel and ran off leaving Naruto to chase, and while Naruto knew that's what he wanted he couldn't help but run after the fox in hopes of catching him and dragging him to his untimely death where'd he'd burn in hell till the end of time.

He rounded a sharp corner his feet literally squealing against the brick as he pushed back on his ankles to stop for the turn. But as he turned he ran into a wall actually it was just a well muscled chest, a man's chest apparently from the lack of a pillowy feeling woman's chest give off, and he knew what it felt like especially after Hinata the daughter of the jewelry maker Hiashi would faint on him when she got embarrassed and unwittingly would bury well more suffocate him in her chest.

Looking from where his face was smashed against a pressed white shirt he saw the man's face it was obvious he was not from around here he was way too pale because most people around here would be tan from the summer sun bearing down on them, at least men were since woman tended to stay indoors more the man's eyes reflected seriousness as they would burrow into your own with varying shades of dark and light silver and some darker brown shades of dark spice.

The man had a well-built jaw with porcelain skin evenly stretched out on his face curving round his cheekbones and forehead. But even so for him the most defining feature of the man was his hair, spiked up in the back some of hung to his shoulders and bangs framed his face, but it looked like a…ducks ass to him, he may have always called Kuruma ass-head but if he were to call this man that it wouldn't be an insult.

The man just looked down at him with an emotionless face. "Dobe how long are you going to stare or are you going to get out of my way, I need to get somewhere unlike you who's just running through the streets yelling out cuss words every two seconds at a person who doesn't even seem to exist, surely I at least would come out hiding just to stop you're shrill voice from speaking well screeching again."

Okay forget good looks, what did he care even if he did have them, who the hell did he think he was sure he may have been a couple years older than him (proven by his at least 1 ½ feet on him), but what did he know about him, nothing, that's right he knew diddly squat and was just a random person who he bumped into, by accident, who's being an ass-hole.

But even though he wanted to wipe that emotionless face from the face of the earth he didn't want to start a fight with him because his mother told him that it would be easier to get through without starting fights so he just flashed the man an obviously forced smile with an even more forced apology of sorry, and moved out of his way waiting for him to move on.

"Good you know your place Usuratonkachi." He twitched as he waited for the man to just move along but seriously calling him a hammer* was just showing how much of a jackass the man was and how much more he wanted to punch him his nails dug into his palm as he was contemplating forgetting about not starting a fight and just punch him right then and there. " Well I just don't see the need to start a fight with a duck-ass" Is what he wanted to scream but didn't.

The man turned around his own beige coat twirling with him and he walked away, did he just _hear_ him smirk at least the guy did walk away when he did or he might've broken the skin on his hands. As he slowly started to walk off himself avoiding flying limbs and the occasional person so caught up in their feet to notice him coming, he couldn't help but think about the guy, seriously no-one got him that mad not even Kuruma especially when it's their first time meeting him. He prided himself in being a nice friendly get along guy.

He passed the butcher's shop Ichiraku surprisingly it was all run by one woman Ayame she was around 18 and had taken the shop over after her father lost eyesight in one eye after a mishap with a horse stampede and couldn't use the knife anymore as he passed he thought he's and look in maybe say hi to Ayame see if there were any discounts but it was just some hanging meats like steak or sausage some set out like fish and pork, along with a passed out Aame and Kuruma eating some raw fish left out on the counter.

Passing on…stop…look back…wait one moment before it clicks… "KURUMA get out of the butchers shop this moment and let me give you a rightfully painful agonizingly slow death, I'll even make sure to go slower with the skin peeling and chopping of your nuts I promise it'll only hurt you."

Said fox just looked over bored and stopped eating the fish and with a lick of the lips his tongue darting out and back in within a second calmly said. "Just try, and I know you won't even do it in the end, I'm your best bud. Plus you could never stomach skin peeling. you can't even stomach executions"

"You wanna' bet jerk-ass?" a straight out no and Kuruma ignoring him as he crawled back into his purse... satchel were in order afterwards.

Sighing Naruto closed the satchel over the foxes's head leaving the hole between the top and bag on the side as the only place for him to look out. He wondered how Kuruma lived like that, he was more human then he let out he could even be human anytime he wanted. but even more he wondered why he listened to him, he was a powerful demon after all it was only personality he needed a boost in.

He had only seen Kuruma in his human form once and even then it being a sixteenth of his actual power it was enough to destroy a whole mountain in one swoop. And all Naruto was is a gear to turn in the machine called time, he had no real importance. He had lived a normal enough life apart from Kuruma himself, he wondered why Kuruma really even cared about him.

He looked down at said fox and shook his head to get the traitorous thoughts from his head and said "Kurama's just gonna' be Kuruma ttebeyo-na." Nothing more nothing less, just an asshole fox who likes to bully me around and send me on goose chases, and my best friend. Why would I ever think about you controlling me, and don't think you can get out unscathed, no-one gets away with calling me a dumb-ass."

The fox just looked back up once before snuggling more into the bag.

"Make sure you don't crush anything Kyuu' I still need to sell my stuff ya'no." Of course he had sort of forgotten about it but still he couldn't have it crushed. He heard the fox now completely in the bag, "you still haven't sold anything yet." he only replied with"Well whose fault is that I was too busy looking for you dickhead."

"hmm well better get going to sell that."

* * *

I know I know still slow right. But I am planning on going slow for a bit now I do have tests coming up soon. Thanks for a 2 followers and faver. And well I added Sasuke in there, I'm pretty sure for now I'm just going to add a new character in each chapter and gradually make them all meet each-other before the action and story itself. I'll probably have the next chapter by next week. Again review, but no hate just constructive criticism. Now let's see what the characters think and yes Usuratonkachi does mean hammer but it means like dumb as a hammer.

Kuruma: _constructive criticism _pssh that's for losers hate all you want her story does suck after all, I would never listen to the kid that much he may have won my respect but why would I go out of my way to bully him when I could..just...take...a...nice...long..nap.._yawm...oyasumi_

Sasuke: I seem like a big dick. Why? I thought that me and Naruto had finally made up and come to peace with one another. Although I guess we can eventually be friends or something right Hn

Naruto: Sasuke I think you're a dick here because you're sometimes a dick in the manga too. I'm sure that it'll get better tho'. So answer me who'll I meet next.

Me: The hint you get is Three Of A Kind Naruto. Bye bee


	3. Meeting The Toad And Dog

Naruto was small, more than that he was tiny, and while he had always known he was short but compared to the man before him he only went to his chest. The man was at least 6'5 which meant more 1 ½ feet on him, seriously what was with that anyway seeing as it wasn't just like he was short as everyone guy he met nowadays were at least 6 feet maybe taller while he was only just about to get to 5 feet. It was pretty degrading he had to admit.

The man before was anything but refined, seriously who could get drunk before it was even noon, him apparently, but what the real problem was his shamelessness. The man leered at every girl as she passed sometimes even letting out a dog whistle or going over to ask her if she wanted to have what you might call _a nice night in Paris. _He couldn't help but love the fact he was born maleat the moment.

He kept moving along while the crate in his hands seemed to grow heavier with every step he took. He eventually made it to the blacksmiths stand and released the load he had in his hands letting the crate topple a bit as it piled with the others he had previously put there and watched as it fixed itself before wiping off the sweat which had accumulated on his forehead with the back of his hand.

He was about to get going to move another one of the crates of metal as the blacksmith had instructed to move over here as part of his newfound job. Sadly the man who called himself the super pervert and wasn't just bark in that category along with having super height was his boss. In his full red vested glory the man had rough hands and a strong grip and don't think of anything pervy of how he found out he just naturally had hands like that being a blacksmith.

It was embarrassing though how he'd met the silver haired man, to tell the truth he had outright yelled at the top of his lungs "You fucking dick I'm not a girl and never will be, so don't call me little miss and I can carry my own fucking basket I know I'm short too but that does not just make me a flat chested girl!" Of course the old man had grabbed his ass and asked if the little miss wanted help carrying her baskets and maybe a little more in another _area _which gave him a right a to yell andwhich would make any guy mad_._

Seriously the guy was what 58 and still hitting on girls. But after a while of talking to the guy in apology for his outburst he had found that despite his pervy nature he was a pretty nice easygoing guy. He may've been a little bit much for a normal person with his crazy tendencies like keeping a giant toad as a pet but for Naruto who was even more _quirky _then the other he wasn't that hard to deal with.

It was actually quite a shock to him that he was the blacksmith because even though he hadn't been in there in quite a while he hadn't expected Tazuna and Inari to both move to the land of waves, a neighboring country and while it had some money issues it was quite a misty and scenic place. They probably moved over to help build the bridges for connecting the islands together and to the mainland for trading purposes of course.

After talking to the guy he asked him that since he seemed to know Tazuna pretty well he probably knew where things were in the shop and if he could show him where everything was. Without knowing he had agreed and eventually got suckered into being the man's worker. Not for free of course but for a pretty petty salary.

The man's name he found out was Jirayia while it did fit him kind of he wasn't so young* really but he was in a way thunderous and it suit him (Jirayia translates into 'young thunder' in English) seeing as he was loud brash and unpredictable. He gave a shiver and noticed if he had gone on with that he'd basically be describing himself. Was he gonna be like that when he was older? Well No… at least he hoped not.

Hearing a croak he looked back at the stand and saw Gamabunta sitting there Jirayia's pet frog he from the first time he'd seen the animal he had really started do doubt the old pervert's sanity. Did he really have to dress up the small animal? In a yakuza suit no less?

And of course he was in no position to talk seeing as when he was a kid he stuffed kuruma into dresses, but he was a kid so who could blame him, and it was really fun, seeing kuruma get mad aside from the countless scratches on his arms and legs, kuruma would scrunch up his face at the mirror than look back with an 'are you serious look.' It just cracked him up every time and he would have aching sides for several days.

Speaking of the fox, he hadn't seen him at all today and it was strange as he had started to wander off more since Mr. Duckass as he so named him came to town. The man had popped up a couple times but usually just vanished afterwards, not before insulting him a bit of course. It wasn't like Kuruma didn't used to go off by himself but he couldn't help but worry about him.

Grabbing another box he lifted it up hearing the satisfying clink and clank of metal he set back to the blacksmith's stand. He knew he would have to go visit Kiba and Sakura to get together because he hadn't talked to the animal trainer or doctor-in-training in a while and knew they hated getting left out and constantly worried about him as his self-proclaimed best friends, and while they were he lived in the valley they lived in town as much as he went in almost every day that was to do business he didn't have much time to go out with them. Luckily as long as he kept at the pace he was he would be able to see them.

Well isn't it strange as whenever he thought of something it would usually come to him and not always nicely, the animal trainer came over in a blur along with his own white blur of a dog Akamaru. The trainer had immediately put his arm around his shoulders and gave him a noogie as per ritual of their greeting every time.

At least he was average height, still taller than him but not 6 feet. He reminded Naruto of himself with his own set of spikes and cheek marks. Although while his were triangles Naruto's were more or less whiskers, a lot of people said they were cool and made him look like a fox but what they didn't know was how he got them.

The brunet looked down at him with his cinnamon eyes hiding behind closed eyelids which were closed at the degree of which he was smiling, showing off his sharp teeth almost fangs as he did so.

"So what's tha' box for foxy boy?" Foxy boy was his nickname for him because he reminded him of the kitsune told in myths small people who had ears and tails, they would play pranks and steal from and on others, they were clever and mischievous being able to change their appearance as well as summon fire "I'm working over at the blacksmith's. You wanna' help a pal out and give me a hand." He shook his head and gave him a pat on the back pushing him forward a bit.

"No thanks you may be my bestie but I still got my own work to look forward to. " As he turned to leave he added as a side note "make sure ya' visit me and the pinkie later you rarely come around anymore." Akamaru followed his master soon afterwards also disappearing from sight and Naruto was left alone.

Turning around he heaved his box up a bit more to get it comfortable in his arms, and set off once again towards the blacksmith stand.

After going back and forth more times than he could count while lugging around heavy crates full of metal and other materials had really taken its toll on his arms, they were sore and aching the abused muscles crying out in protest anytime he had tried to move his arms, the joints cracking with all the built up air was getting annoying as well. Kuruma had at some point in the day and he was far too tired to remember when and proceeded to taunt him. He never had gotten to visit Kiba though.

As the red furred being laid at his feet his tail curling around his ankles he couldn't help but think he was innocent despite knowing from experience he wasn't in any way shape or form innocent. He wrapped his arms around him and put him into his purse… satchel and closed the leather strap on the top. Getting up from his perch on the stairs of the library, he let out one more stretch and yawn for his aching muscles.

He started on his trudge home. It was like he was in school again walking to and fro from town and his home every day. As he was around halfway home seeing as he just passed the bed of tulips he started to feel a bit uneasy, it wasn't like there was a scary noise or anything no it was because of the complete opposite. As the thunderous silence sounded the only thing that broke it were his own footsteps.

Usually at this time there would be the last of birds falling asleep along with cicadas and crickets playing a melody of strings, but there was nothing just the occasional wind and himself. As he felt something staring at him, he turned and saw the beast standing there all alone it's sleek black muscled form almost seeming to be built for speed only stood there. It had a color that was very similar to the night sky behind it, the only way it was distinguishable was because it was darker. Darker than the night.

It had red eyes, bright ones the color of blood three strange markings in each. It was a wolf and a huge one at that, he knew just knew that if he made the wrong move he'd be dead. The wolf made the first move coming towards him in slow gliding steps, it was a full minute but felt like an hour before the wolf was in front of him.

He… sat, that was all the wolf did and he wasn't lying here, it simply sat in front of him. He wasn't really sure what to do in this situation, so he slowly reached out to pet him, until he reached his fur time milked everything out of those few seconds. The wolf seemed more like a dog now at least in behavior.

He retracted his hand and ran, he ran as fast as he could go, away from the wolf, away from this crazy nightmare. The wolf sat there wondering about the strange human no one he had encountered would just pet him and run, perhaps the short young man wasn't just a brash idiot who's good at cussing.

So what'd you think? I've decided that I'm actually fine with this length for now and am gonna keep it. And just to clarify Kiba does have a slight country accent and speech pattern for the sake of the story. By the way the answer to why Jirayia means 3 of a kind is because he had 3 students who all in their own way had tried to fill his wish of world peace… even though one of them killed him and tried to make an epic weapon and rule the world by fear, he did try to make peace

By the way I've got 2,000 words in this one so I'm super happy.


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